School Social Worker

Calvert County Public Schools; Prince Frederick (MD); On-site; USD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A public school district in Maryland seeks a School Social Worker to assist students with social-emotional challenges affecting learning. The role includes providing counseling, conducting assessments, and coordinating with families and staff to improve student adjustment. Candidates must have a Master’s in Social Work and relevant certifications. This full-time position involves significant collaboration with school personnel and the community, aimed at fostering positive educational experiences for all students.

Qualifications

• Must hold a Master’s Degree in Social Work and LCSW-C certification.
• Minimum two years of experience in a clinical setting with children preferred.
• Candidates should have strong communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Assist students with academic and social-emotional needs.
• Provide counseling and crisis intervention services.
• Conduct assessments relating to behavioral issues.

Skills

Experience with students with severe disabilities

Conducting functional behavioral assessments

Developing behavior management plans

Communicating clearly and concisely

Knowledge of community resources

Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Certification

Education

Master’s Degree in Social Work

LCSW-C Certification

Maryland State Department of Education certification

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

NOTICE OF VACANCY

January 22, 2025

POSITION: SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER

LOCATION: TO BE DETERMINED

POSITION SUMMARY

Assist students with academic learning by providing strategic services that identify and address the social-emotional–environmental issues that interfere with the educational process. Working with parents/guardians/teachers/school principal/principal’s designee, and community-based resources, the school social worker implements strategies that promote students’ positive school adjustment. Works with school personnel to reduce barriers to learning. Provide support to administrators, teachers, and instructional assistants in the area of behavior management. Plan and conduct staff development program in the area of behavior management. Identifies resources to assist students as needed.

REPORTS TO

Director of Student Services & School Principal

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE

At the time of application, the candidate must hold or be eligible for:

• Master’s Degree in Social Work required.
• LCSW-C Certified Social Worker. Must be licensed by Maryland State Board of Social Worker Examiners prior to appointment.
• A Maryland State Department of Education professional certificate as a School Social Worker.
• Two years post-Master’s experience providing clinical social work services in a clinical setting dealing with children/adolescents and their families, preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES, AND SKILLS

At the time of application, the candidate must have:

• Experience working with students with severe disabilities especially those with externalizing behaviors.
• Ability to conduct functional behavioral assessments.
• Ability to develop behavior management plans.
• Ability to conduct risk assessments.
• Ability to conduct adult training sessions in behavior management.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely in both written and oral form.
• Ability to communicate issues affecting students’ progress with the student’s parents and/or guardian; school administrators, and teachers.
• Ability to employ business technology tools (e.g. e-mail, CCPS web-based tools, Microsoft Office Suite, etc.).
• Ability to assume a leadership role in crisis situations.
• Knowledge of Community Resources.
• Knowledge and understanding of positive behavior supports.
• Knowledge of basic assistive technology communication systems.
• Knowledge of regulations regarding seclusion, exclusion, and restraint.
• Current certification in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training (CPI) and Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) or willingness to become trained.
• Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Calvert County Public Schools may find appropriate and acceptable.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND DUTIES

• Identifies and assesses barriers to learning through analysis of factors impinging on student adjustment including factors in the home, school, and community.
• Serves as a liaison between families and the school to positively promote collaborative processes in educational planning for students by encouraging parent/guardian participation in the school setting.
• Determines and implements appropriate behavior strategies to effect changes in behavioral-social interactions of students and their families.
• Provides individual and group counseling to students as needed to address crisis events and social skills.
• Provides parent/guardian educational workshops on identified issues related to child development, stress reduction, discipline and safety, and teacher/parent/student communication, as assigned.
• Conducts threat assessments on students, as needed.
• Attends and participates in school-based team conferences, Section 504 multidisciplinary meetings and IEP team meetings where appropriate and within required timelines; serves as a witness in special education mediations and hearings as requested.
• Provides crisis intervention services and may serve as a lead member on the school’s Crisis Team during a crisis.
• Assists with reintegrating the student back into the classroom following a crisis.
• Provides social work case management for students and families.
• Conducts staff development on issues related to social-emotional-environmental factors that impact learning, as assigned.
• Assists with the development of programs to address parent/guardian participation in the school and student engagement in the educational process.
• Maintains required clinical records and submits appropriate documents for statistical reports with adherence to program standards in school social work.
• Provides support and services to families experiencing personal and environmental variables, such as economic hardship (poverty), which interfere with student progress. May conduct home visits, if appropriate.
• Conducts classroom observations.
• Observes students with behavior problems, completes functional behavioral assessments and develops behavior intervention plans on identified students.
• Collaborates and consults with administrators, other school system personnel, teachers, support staff and parents regarding behavioral interventions.
• Debriefs with administrators, School Psychologist(s), classroom teacher(s), and support staff following a crisis event.
• Assists with demonstrating behavior interventions/strategies for the school-based team.
• Provides support for students transitioning between teachers or to another school.
• Serves as a liaison with community agencies and assists in fostering communication between schools, parents/guardians, and community leaders.
• Locates community resources to support the educational program.
• May supervise/monitor behavioral one-on-one assistants for purposes of Medicaid billing.
• Attends meetings and professional development activities as required.
• Comes to work promptly every day.
• Works under stress and meets all deadlines.
• Travels from school to school as necessary.

OTHER DUTIES

Duties listed are not intended to be all inclusive nor limit duties that might reasonably be assigned. Performs related work as required or assigned by the Director or Principal.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Requires moderate physical effort, including lifting and carrying objects weighing up to fifty (50) pounds and physically restraining students in CPI holds.

UNUSUAL DEMANDS

Requires the implementation of CPI physical restraint.

FLSA STATUS

Exempt

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

Eleven (11) month position and salary commensurate with qualifications and experience applied to the current Calvert County Public Schools’ salary schedule for teachers. All employees are encouraged to have automatic payroll deposit.

EVALUATION

Performance will be evaluated in accordance with the policy on evaluation as established by the Calvert County Public Schools.

EFFECTIVE DATE OF POSITION

Immediate opening

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Position will remain open until filled. Applicants please apply through the Applicant Tracking system located on the Calvert County Public Schools’ website – calvertnet.k12.md.us

References must be directly related to educational experience and must include immediate supervisor.

State law requires that anyone hired after October 1, 1986, who will have contact with school children, must be fingerprinted and submit to a criminal background investigation. Federal law requires that a new employee must complete the Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9) in person before beginning employment. Employment is conditional upon successful completion of a drug screen. Current employees of the Calvert County Public Schools are exempt from these requirements.

House Bill 486 – Child Sexual Abuse and Sexual Misconduct Prevention Statement

Pursuant to Section 6-113.2 of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland - House Bill 486 - Child Sexual Abuse and Sexual Misconduct Prevention all applicants are required to report all former employers in which you may have had direct contact with minors. The applicant must submit the contact information of the current employer, all former school employers, and all former employers not school related. Applicants should also include contact information for organizations in which you have volunteered, coached, mentor, tutored or otherwise had direct contact with minors.

Nondiscrimination Statement

Calvert County Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, ancestry or national origin, familial status, marital status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth programs. Calvert County Public Schools does not refuse enrollment of a prospective student, expel a current student, or withhold privileges from a current student, or prospective student, or the parent or guardian of a current or prospective student because of an individual’s race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. Calvert County Public Schools does not discipline, invoke a penalty against, or take any other retaliatory action against a student or parent or guardian of a student who files a complaint alleging that the program or school discriminated against the student, regardless of the outcome of the complaint. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

• Director of Student Services
• Director of Human Resources 443-550-8000

For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Assessment System at: https://ocrcas.ed.gov or call 1-800-421-3481.

Anti-sexual, Anti-racial and Anti-disability Harassment Statement

Discrimination can manifest itself in behaviors such as bullying, harassment, or intimidation of individuals. Calvert County Public Schools does not tolerate any form of harassment including, but not limited to, sexual, racial, or disability.

Any individual (student, employee, or community member) who believes that they have been subjected to any form of harassment is encouraged to report the allegation of harassment. Students, parents, and community members may report allegations of harassment to: Ms. Cecelia Lewis, Director of Student Services, Calvert County Public Schools, 1305 Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678. Employees may report allegations of harassment to: Mr. Zachary Seawell, Director of Human Resources, Calvert County Public Schools, 1305 Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678.

Calvert County Public Schools is committed to conducting a prompt investigation for any allegation of harassment. If harassment has occurred, the individual will be disciplined promptly. Disciplinary actions for students found to have engaged in any form of harassment may result in suspension or expulsion. Disciplinary actions for employees found to have engaged in any form of harassment may result in suspension or termination.

Calvert County Public Schools encourages all students, parents, employees, and community members to work together to prevent any form of harassment.

For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Assessment System at: https://ocrcas.ed.gov or call 1-800-421-3481.

Calvert County Public Schools Antiracism Statement

Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) explicitly denounces racism, bullying, discrimination, white supremacy, hate, and racial inequity in any form within our school community. CCPS will not tolerate the values, structures, and behaviors that perpetuate systemic racism. Each member of the district, individually and collectively, is responsible for creating and nurturing a safe, antiracist learning environment where each student, staff member, and community partner is a respected and valued member of the CCPS community.

The final paragraph or closing statements are kept to reflect the original content and intent.